The following is a statement from NASA Johnson Space Center Director Mark Geyer on the passing of former NASA astronaut Capt. Alan Bean:
 
“Alan Bean was an American hero who blazed trails for astronauts who have followed in his footsteps. His command of the second crewed Skylab spacecraft in 1973 served as the foundation for 24/7 space operations, and many lessons learned there were applied to the International Space Station throughout the past 17 years.
 
Capt. Bean’s experiences allowed us to advance human space exploration for the benefit of humanity and we are grateful for his service to our nation’s space program.